


Secrets & Lies

by BloodofSpies



Series: BAU-LA [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:22:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26274808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BloodofSpies/pseuds/BloodofSpies
Summary: Years have passed, and people have grown up. The new generation of BAU profilers have moved to sunny LA, where a familiar face will help them solve cases and open up cans of worms they didn't even know existed.
Relationships: Declan Doyle/Original Male Character, Jack Hotchner/Original Female Character(s), Spencer Reid & Original Character(s), Spencer Reid/Original Female Character(s)
Series: BAU-LA [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909024
Kudos: 1





	Secrets & Lies

November 3, 2021

A dark rental SUV pulls into the parking space of the park, its windows tinted just enough to keep the driver hidden. He wasn’t afraid to have the car traced back to him, but if it got back to anyone else where he’d been, he would have a hard time explaining himself, especially what happened that led to this.

Stepping outside, he aimlessly walked, keeping his target in sight. A young woman in her mid-20s settled down at a bench facing the playground, her fair blond hair waving slightly in the wind. Indeed, it had picked up, and looking up at the steel gray sky, he knew that soon it would rain, as it often did in Portland, Oregon.

His focus, however, was not on the young woman, but her charge. They were obviously not related, but a babysitter or adoptive mother would always make sense to other people’s eyes. They would have no idea just how complex their relationship was.

The young girl, 4 years old, had strayed away from the other children, who were convalescing near the slide, most likely whipping up a game that would appease them until their parents called them to take them home, keep them safe.

Instead, she lightly moved around the jungle gym just off to the side, still in the woman’s eyesight. The girl climbed higher and higher, and though he feared she would fall, she didn’t, clinging to the metal bars to reach the top of the semi-sphere shaped structure. Balanced perfectly on the bars, with her legs swinging down into the contraption, the girl removed the backpack off her shoulders, pulling it around to unzip. Reaching in, she pulled out a small novel. Neither the woman nor the man could tell exactly what she was reading, but it didn’t matter. It was obviously far beyond what the average size book was for her age. The man felt a bit of pride spread through his chest, a small smile playing on his lips.

He continued to watch the girl as she read, and eventually, the young woman called for her.

“Elena!”

The young girl looked up, slipped the book back into her backpack, and slid down slowly from the jungle gym, her sneaker-laden feet landing softly on the woodchips.

She ran up to the young woman, calling for her.

“Maddie, Maddie, my book!”

“What happened?”

“Auggie’s friend, Jack Will, said something mean about him at school…”

He couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation, the girl’s words getting picked up in the wind, but he smiled, watching them leave the park.

“Happy Birthday, Elena,” Spencer Reid said, waiting until they’d left to head back to his own car.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, y'all! This is part of a new series that I call the BAU-LA. A bit CSI-y, I know, but what can you do? Hope you enjoy!


End file.
